Poker Wagering Game with Forced Discard

ABSTRACT

A wagering card game related to poker which can be used in a casino to accept and resolve real money wagers on a casino game table. Initial cards can be dealt to a player and a dealer. The player can be required to select one card out of his or her cards to discard after viewing some of the cards available to the player to form his or her poker hand but not all of the cards that will eventually be available to the player to form his or her poker hand. The player&#39;s poker hand can be formed out of the player&#39;s initial cards (not including any cards that were discarded) plus community cards which are used by all players at the table.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present inventive concept relates to a casino table game, and more particularly, to a table game variation wherein the player must discard a single card out of their initial hand before forming a hand using community cards.

2. Description of the Related Art

Casino table poker games are a popular type of casino table. What is needed is a new game which can provide players with a more exciting game than prior art games.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an aspect of the present invention to provide exciting variations of card games that can be played in casinos.

The above aspects can be obtained by a method that includes (a) receiving an initial wager from a player; (b) revealing to the player initial player cards; (c) dealing initial dealer cards; (d) revealing a first set of community cards; (e) requiring the player to discard at least one discarded card(s) out of the initial player cards after the player has viewed values of the first set of community cards but not a second set of community cards; (f) revealing the second set of community cards; (g) forming a best player poker hand using the initial player cards excluding the discarded card(s) and the first set of community cards and the second set of community cards; (h) forming a best dealer poker hand using the initial dealer cards and the first set of community cards and the second set of community cards; (i) determining which hand has a higher poker rank, the best player poker hand or the best dealer poker hand; and (j) resolving the initial wager based on the determining.

These together with other aspects and advantages which will be subsequently apparent, reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further features and advantages of the present invention, as well as the structure and operation of various embodiments of the present invention, will become apparent and more readily appreciated from the following description of the preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings of which:

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method of implementing a casino poker game, according to an embodiment;

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary table layout which can be used to play a poker game, according to an embodiment; and

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary hardware that can be used to implement an electronic version of the game, according to an embodiment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Reference will now be made in detail to the presently preferred embodiments of the invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

The present general inventive concept relates to a method, system, and computer readable storage which allows a casino to offer to player a poker type game wherein a player is dealt an initial hand, a dealer is dealt an initial hand, the player must discard a fixed amount of cards from the player's hand (e.g., one card), then community cards are revealed. After viewing the community cards, the dealer can then choose which card to discard, and then the player's best poker hand vs. the dealer's best poker hand are compared. If the player has the better hand, the player wins. If the dealer has the better hand, then the player loses.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating an exemplary method of implementing a casino poker game, according to an embodiment.

The method can start with operation 100, which receive an initial wager from a player. Note that any number of players (e.g., 1-8 or more) can play simultaneously at a table against a dealer. The player can place his or her initial wager by placing a chip (e.g., a $5 chip) in a betting circle in front of him/her. This is done before any of the cards are revealed.

The method can then proceed to operation 102, which deals the player's initial cards and the dealer's initial cards. Before cards are dealt the deck would typically be shuffled. The dealer's initial cards are typically dealt face down so that the player(s) cannot see the dealer's initial cards at this point in the game. The player's (or players') initial card(s) can be dealt face up, or they can be dealt face down wherein each player is allowed to view his or her respective cards. The player's initial cards can be three cards (or any other number, e.g., 1, 2, 4, 5, . . . 10).

From operation 102, the method proceeds to operation 104, wherein the player is given an opportunity to raise. After the player has viewed his or her cards, the player can decide whether to raise (wager more). If the player decides to raise, then the method can proceed to operation 106, wherein the player increases his or her wager (also known as placing a raise wager). This can be performed by the player placing additional chips near, on top, or alongside of the initial wager, and/or in a separate betting circle for a raise wager. The player may wish to raise if the player's hand is a good hand (e.g., pair). The player may be allowed (according to house rules) to raise up to a multiple of the initial wager. For example, the player may be allowed to raise up to two times the initial wager (or four times, or any other multiple).

The player is not required to raise and may choose not to, especially if the player has a poor hand.

From operations 104 or 106, the method can proceed to operation 108, which reveals a flop. The flop is three community cards which are now turned over (although other numbers of community cards can be used as well, such as 1-10, etc.) The community cards are used to form a player's poker hand using the player's hand and the community cards. The community cards are also used to form a dealer's poker hand using the dealer's hand and the community cards.

From operation 108, the method can proceed to operation 110, wherein the player discards discard card(s) from the player's initial cards. The player can now see the player's initial cards and the flop. If three cards were initially dealt to the player and three cards were dealt for the flop, the player can now see the values of these six cards. The player's goal is to form the best five card poker hand using the player's initial cards and the community cards. Thus, the player must now decide which card out of the player's initial cards to discard. In an alternative embodiment, the player would be required to discard more than one card (e.g., 2 cards, 3 cards, 4 cards, 5 cards, or more).

The dealer is not required to discard any cards at this point, hence giving the dealer an advantage. In a further embodiment, the dealer can be required to discard one or more card(s), either in operation 108 or at another point in time (such as after the second set of community cards are revealed in operation 112).

The player can identify to the dealer which card the player wishes to discard by removing that card and placing it (face up or face down) in front of the player. Once a card is discarded, it cannot be used by the player when determining the player's best poker hand in operation 114. Thus, the three initial player cards should be carefully evaluated by the player so that the player can discard which card is the least valuable to the player.

It is noted that the player must select a single card to discard (or multiple cards to discard in a further embodiment).

After each of the players have selected their discard(s), the method can proceed to operation 112 wherein the dealer then deals (or reveal) the additional community card(s). The additional community card(s) can be the turn and river (e.g., fourth and fifth community cards). The additional community card(s) can also be one card, or three cards, or four cards, or five cards, or more.

From operation 112, the method proceeds to operation 114, which determines both the dealer's best poker hand and each players' (or player's if only one player is playing at the table) best poker hand. The dealer's best poker hand is determined by selecting five cards out of the eight cards (or other number of cards) available to the dealer which would create the highest ranking poker hand. The cards available to the dealer are the dealer's initial cards and all of the community cards (the first set of community cards and the second set of community cards) In other embodiments, poker hands other than five cards can be formed (e.g., four card poker hands, three card poker hands, etc.)

The player's best poker hand is formed by selecting five cards out of the seven (or other number) cards available to the player that would form the best (highest ranking) five card hand. The cards available to the player are the player's initial cards (not including the card that was discarded) and the community cards (the first set of community cards and the second set of community cards). In other embodiments, poker hands other than five cards can be formed (e.g., four card poker hands, three card poker hands, etc.)

From operation 116, it is determined who has the higher ranking poker hand the player or the dealer. If the player has the higher ranking poker hand, then the method can proceed to operation 118, wherein the player wins a payout on the initial wager placed in operation 100 (and a raise wager, if placed, in operation 106).

If the determination in operation 116 determines that the dealer has a higher ranking poker hand over the player, then the method can proceed to operation 120, which takes the player's wager (the initial wager placed in operation 100 and any raise wager placed in operation 106).

Poker hands can be ranked as known in the art, such as used in a standard game of “Texas Hold'em.” For example, Table I illustrates one standard hierarchy of poker hands, listed from best to worst.

TABLE I Royal flush Straight flush Four of a kind Full house Flush Straight Three of a kind Two pair High Card

Thus, for example, if the dealer had a royal flush and the player had a straight flush, then the dealer would win. If both the player and the dealer had a hand of a same rank, then a highest card used to form the hand can be used to determine which hand is of a higher rank. For example, if the dealer has a pair of threes and the player has a pair of fours, then the player's hand would beat the dealer's hand because the player's rank is higher (fours are higher than threes). If the dealer has a straight flush to the jack and the player has a straight flush to the eight, then the dealer's hand would be higher than the player's hand because a jack is a higher ranking card than an eight.

FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating an exemplary table layout which can be used to play a poker game, according to an embodiment.

A casino table 200 can be used to accommodate a dealer and any number of players (e.g., 1 to 8). The illustrated casino table 200 can accommodate two players. A first player has an initial betting circle 202 used to place an initial wager (in operation 100). The first player also has a raise betting circle 204 used to place his or her raise wager (in operation 106). The first player also has a side wager betting circle 206 used to place the side wager (in operation 100). A second player also has a second initial betting circle 210 used to place his or her initial wager (in operation 100). The second player also has a second raise betting circle 212 used to place his or her raise wager (in operation 106). The second player also has a second side wager betting circle 214 used to place the second player's die wager (in operation 100). Of course, the table can accommodate more players as well, each player would have their own betting circles and initial cards.

The first player is dealt (operation 102) the first player's initial cards 208. The second player is dealt (operation 102) the second player's initial cards 216. These cards can be dealt face up, or alternatively can be dealt face down while their respective player is allowed to pick and view their own initial cards. The dealer is also dealt the dealer's initial cards (in operation 102). The dealer's initial cards would typically be dealt face down and revealed at a later part of the game (e.g., operation 114).

The first set of community cards 218 and the second set of community cards 220 are dealt face up (or dealt face down and subsequently revealed by turning them over). The first player, the second player, and the dealer all can use any of the community cards (the first set of community cards 218 and the second set of community cards 220) to form their respective hands.

A side bet can also be offered to the player(s). Table II illustrates exemplary payout tables for the side bet. The side bet is paid based on a best poker hand formed from five community cards (both sets of community cards) and the two player hole (initial) cards. The two player hole cards are the remaining two player's initial cards after the player has discarded the discarded card. The side (or bonus) bet is resolved regardless of the whether the player's poker hand beats the dealer's poker hand.

For example, consider that the player bets $1 on the bonus bet. The player's three initial dealt cards are: queen spades/queen hearts, three hearts, and the first set of community cards are queen clubs/two spades/nine hearts. The player discards the three hearts. The final two community cards are dealt: queen diamonds, king hearts. Thus, the best five card hand the player can make out of the seven cards (not including the three of hearts which was discarded) is four of a kind (four queens). Thus, the player is paid 25 to 1 on his or her $1 bet or $25. If the dealer's best hand was four kings, then the dealer's hand would beat the player's and thus the player would lose his or her initial wager (and any raise wager placed), but the player would still win the bonus bet since the bonus bet is resolved solely based on a poker rank of cards available to the player (but does not involve the dealer's cards or whether the player's hand beats the dealer's hand).

TABLE II Hand Paytable A Paytable B Paytable C Royal Flush 400 to 1  400 to 1  299 to 1  Straight Flush 50 to 1  50 to 1  50 to 1  Four of a Kind 25 to 1  20 to 1  20 to 1  Full House 6 to 1 6 to 1 6 to 1 Flush 4 to 1 4 to 1 4 to 1 Straight 3 to 1 3 to 1 3 to 1 Three of a Kind 1 to 1 1 to 1 1 to 1

The side wager (or bonus bet) can be placed by each player in operation 100 before any cards are revealed. The side wager can be mandatory or optional, depending on house rules.

Some examples of the game will now be presented.

Jack bets $5 as his initial bet. The dealer then deals Jack three cards, an Ace of spades, an Ace of clubs, and a three of hearts. The dealer also deals himself three cards face down. Jack reviews his cards and decides to raise by placing another $5 on the table (a $5 raise wager). The dealer now deals three community cards, a two of spades, a two of clubs, and a five of hearts. Jack decides to discard the three of hearts by indicating to the dealer that he wishes to discard this card (e.g., by placing the three of hearts in front of his other cards). The dealer now deals two more community cards, a nine of clubs and a three of diamonds. The dealer now turns over his cards to reveal: two of diamonds, ace of diamonds, and nine of hearts. The player's best five card poker hand is formed using: ace of spades/ace of clubs/two of spades/two of clubs/nine of clubs. Thus the player's poker rank is two pair (aces over twos). The dealer's best poker hand is formed using: two of diamonds/two of spades/two of clubs/nine of clubs/nine of hearts. Thus, the dealer's poker rank is a full house (nines and twos). Thus, the dealer has the higher ranking hand and the dealer wins. Thus, the player has lost his $10.

As another example, Jill bets $10 as her initial bet. Jill is dealt a three of clubs, a two of diamonds, and a ten of spades for her initial cards. Jill decides not to raise and thus does not place an additional wager. The first set of three community cards are now revealed, which are: nine of clubs, six of diamonds, five of hearts. The player must now decide which of the player's initial cards to discard. Jill decides to go for a straight and discard the ten of spades. Since Jill has a two of diamonds, a three of clubs, a five of hearts, and a six of diamonds available (and also the nine of clubs) to form a poker hand, Jill is hoping that the second set of community cards will contain a four (of any suit) so that Jill's best poker hand will form a straight. The second set of community cards is now revealed: two of spades and two of clubs. The dealer now reveals the dealer's initial cards: five of spades, ten of diamonds, king of hearts. The player's best five card poker hand is: two diamonds/two spades/two clubs/nine clubs/six diamonds (a poker hand with a rank of 3 of a kind (3 two's). The dealer reveals his cards: six clubs/seven hearts/ace spades. The dealer's best five card hand is: two spades/two clubs/six clubs/six diamonds/ace spades. The dealer's best ranking hand is two pair (sixes over twos). According to standard poker ranking, a three of a kind beats two pair. Thus, the player has the higher ranking poker hand and wins $10 on her initial $10 bet. If Jill had raised $5 after the first set of community cards were revealed (but before the second set of community cards were revealed), then Jill would have won $15 ($10 for the initial wager and $5 on the raise wager).

It is noted that different variations of the concepts described herein can be implemented. For example, different numbers of cards can be used for the initial player cards, the initial dealer cards, the number of cards the player must select to discard, the size of the first set of community cards, the size of the second set of community cards, and the number of cards used to make the player's poker hand and the dealer's poker hand. Table III below illustrates some alternative embodiments of the concepts described herein. The “#” in the leftmost column represents the version number; “player initial cards” represents how many initial cards are dealt to the player; “# discards” represents the number of cards the player must discard out of the player's initial cards; “dealer initial cards” is the number of initial dealer cards that are initially dealt to the dealer; “first set of cc” is the number of cards revealed in the first set of community cards; “second set cc” is the number of cards revealed in the second set of community cards; and “hand size” is the number of cards that are to be used in forming the best player's poker hand and the best dealer's poker hand. For example, a hand size of 3 means that both the player and the dealer will form their best three card poker hand (thus, for example, four of a kind would not be possible).

TABLE III player initial dealer initial first second # cards # discards cards set cc set cc hand size 1 3 1 3 3 2 5 2 3 1 3 2 3 5 3 3 1 3 4 2 5 4 4 2 3 3 2 5 5 4 2 3 3 2 4 5 4 2 4 3 2 3

FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating exemplary hardware that can be used to implement an electronic version of the game, according to an embodiment.

A processing unit 300 can be a microprocessor and related components and can control a digital computer. The processing unit 300 can be connected to an output unit 302, such as an LCD, touch screen monitor, etc. The processing unit 300 can also be connected to an input unit 304 such as a keyboard, mouse, touch screen, buttons, etc. The processing unit 300 can also be connected to a network connection 306 which can connect the processing unit 300 (and associated components) to a computer communications network such as the Internet of casino local area network. The processing unit 300 can also be connected to a ROM 310 and/or a RAM 308. The processing unit 300 can also be connected to a storage unit 312 which can read a computer readable storage medium (e.g., CD-ROM, DVD, EPROM, etc.) A computer readable storage medium 314 (in this example a CD-ROM, although any other kind of computer readable storage medium can be used) can be used to store a program which can control a computer to implement any of the embodiments described herein. The processing unit 300 can also be connected to a cash acceptance unit 316 which can accept cash or other forms of payment (e.g., electronic payment, etc.) which can be used to pay for the games implemented by the hardware illustrated in FIG. 3.

Any embodiments described herein can also be played on an electronic gaming machine and/or over a communications network such as the Internet. The embodiments described herein can also be offered and played using an Internet casino.

Any embodiments described herein can be played with a standard deck of cards or any type of special deck (e.g. a Spanish deck, etc.) The game can also be played with a single deck or multiple decks (e.g. 1-8 decks or more). Further, the order of any of the operations described herein can be performed in any order and wagers can be placed/resolved in any order. Any embodiments herein can also be played in electronic form and programs and/or data for such can be stored on any type of computer readable storage medium (e.g. CD-ROM, DVD, disk, etc.)

The many features and advantages of the invention are apparent from the detailed specification and, thus, it is intended by the appended claims to cover all such features and advantages of the invention that fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation illustrated and described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention. 

1. A method to play a wagering game, the method comprising: receiving an initial wager from a player; revealing to the player initial player cards; dealing initial dealer cards; revealing a first set of community cards; requiring the player to discard at least one discarded card(s) out of the initial player cards after the player has viewed values of the first set of community cards but not a second set of community cards; revealing the second set of community cards; forming a best player poker hand using the initial player cards excluding the discarded card(s) and the first set of community cards and the second set of community cards; forming a best dealer poker hand using the initial dealer cards and the first set of community cards and the second set of community cards; determining which hand has a higher poker rank, the best player poker hand or the best dealer poker hand; and resolving the initial wager based on the determining.
 2. The method as recited in claim 1, further comprising: offering, after the revealing to the player a set of initial player cards but before the revealing the first set of community cards, the player an option to place a raise wager, wherein the resolving also resolves the raise wager based on the determining.
 3. The method as recited in claim 2, wherein the raise wager is required to be a particular multiple of the initial wager.
 4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the first set of community cards comprise three cards.
 5. The method as recited in claim 4, wherein the second set of community cards comprise two cards.
 6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the initial player cards comprise three cards.
 7. The method as recited in claim 6, wherein the at least one discarded card(s) comprise one card.
 8. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein while performing the determining, if a rank of the best player poker hand ties a rank of the best dealer poker hand, then the player's initial wager wins.
 9. The method as recited in claim 7, wherein while performing the determining, if a rank of the best player poker hand ties a rank of the best dealer poker hand, then the player's initial wager pushes. 